text:
£2m scheme aims to boost childcare
The Government has announced a £2 million scheme to boost childcare and help more women find a job.
Women and Equalities Minister Maria Miller said grants of up to £500 will be available from next April for people setting up a nursery or childminding business.
The money will help cover legal and insurance costs, health and safety training and equipment, while advice and mentoring will also be offered.
The minister said: "There are more women in work than ever before and they are playing a vital role in our economic recovery, but good quality, affordable and reliable childcare is the key to even more women being able to work.
"More childcare options mean more women can take up jobs, help support their families and realise their own career ambitions.
"The childcare industry is already a major employer of women, and this scheme will provide huge opportunities for female entrepreneurs to start up and run their own businesses.
"This is an injection of cash designed to stimulate the sector in tough times, the new scheme will provide more childcare places but will also help get up to 6,000 new childcare businesses off the ground."


text:
Sometimes God calms the storm. At other times, he calms the sailor. And sometimes he makes us swim. ~Author Unknown
Coach Brad gives out Rainbow ribbons. A rainbow ribbon is a ribbon you are awarded for beating your own time.
Daddy and I LOVED this idea.
You earned a rainbow ribbon at EVERY event this season.
While you only placed once in a race, we appreciated this reward system for the very principle that we wanted to teach you.
We are not worried about how the other kids do.
We want you to set goals for yourself - and reach for them!
Improve upon your best. Don't worry about anyone elses.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What are Banks
Banks are the most fundamental of all financial institutions, providing most of the core financial services needed by individuals and companies alike. At root, they are repositories for money. People and companies hold their money in bank accounts for safe-keeping, the ease and convenience with which it can be used in transactions, and because it can earn interest. Banks offer a number of account types, primarily current accounts, where the money is readily accessible but attracts only a low rate of interest, and savings accounts, where a slight delay may be involved before the money can be used but where positive balances attract a higher rate of interest.
Although banks have a physical presence in the real world, on streets and in shopping centres, increasingly fewer and fewer of their customers are ever setting foot in the bank's offices. Most banks now allow their accounts to be managed online and ATM machines allow customers to gain immediate access to their money at all hours. Secret passwords help ensure that the person accessing the account online is the account's rightful owner, and PIN numbers do the same for ATM transactions.
Besides bank accounts, most banks offer a wide range of financial services, including personal loans, mortgages, and, in some cases, even insurance products. ADT security is the U.S based company which provides security solutions to the banks and financial instutions in america. They are most professional and reliable name amongst the bank security systems developers.


text:
Disaster-Related Contracts
for Information - Tax Systems Modernization Project (Taxation)
The Division of Taxation has prepared an RFI to be used to solicit information for possible solutions for replacement of the State's existing tax systems collectively known as TAXNET.
The State is also interested in expanding its current automated functionality related to the processing of all tax types and creating more effective and efficient processing flows in connection with its enterprise front end system.
The response deadline is April 22, 2014 at 5:00 pm.
Request for Information


text:
1.We accept payment via Paypal only.
2.Payment needs to be paid within 5 days, or eBay will automatically close your account there are 4 UPI( unpaid item) in total.
We usually ship items within 1-2 working days (except weekend and holiday)
We are not responsible for any wrong or undeliverable addresses. Please make sure that your address is correct before we ship your package out.
The phone number sometimes will be important when your package is held by your Customs office or be put on your local post office. They may need your phone number to call you to pick it up.
Customers from Brazil, Israel, Italy, South America, Sri Lanka, and Maldivessometimes will receive your items after 30 days or more. Please be patient.
International sellers please are advised that customs in your country may charge duties or other fees. We are not responsible for any customs duties (tariff).
ATTENTION!!! Any
overseas shipments can be delayed due to seasonal local holidays,
custom procedures/back-log or any other unpredictable shipping delays
that can occur over long distances.
For any questions about our products or services please contact us via eBay message.


text:
Tag Archives: Spencer Boerup
The 30 Most Influential Wedding & Portrait Photographers by Mike Allebach
Check out the people who are most influential as portrait and wedding photography teachers or behind the scenes. I created this list because there are many people who aren't flashy and are doing a lot of work behind the scenes to make our photography industry better. Most of them have never been on Creative Live. Their work and passion for teaching others is truly amazing. Visit their websites. Take time to look at their work. Support what they do.
- Anne Almasy – Currently the industry's most viral wedding blogger. She changed the way print magazines approach adveritising of same-sex weddings. #FunkyGoGoGirl
- Carla Ten Eyck – Ten Eyck Tuesdays & teacher at Inspire. Actually she does a lot of inspiring these days.
- Chris Becker – [b] Founder of www.photogrefers.com and shooter of 10 bazillion weddings* (*estimate).
- Craig Lamere – Amazing portraits. Ammmaaaazzing pooorrrtraaaiitts!!!!
- Dane Sanders – Author. Speaker. Always Fast Trackin'.
- David A Williams – It's been said they he has the most meaningful workshop on photography. Whose presentation on portraiture will make you cry…
- David Hobby – The guy who changed the speedlight industry forever! The original strobist. We'd all be shooting natural light without him.
- Gregory Heisler – 50 portraits. The man. The myth. The legend. And the book that every photographer should own.
- Huy Nguyen – Unscripted and absolutely fearless. He showed us how. (And then gave us all awards for being super bad ass)
- Jaleel King – Has wheels, will travel. We were inspired. We cried when he told us how to make lemonade. He taught us how to be unstoppable in the face of any circumstance.
- Jamie Swanson – Founder of ModernTog. Viral blog posts. Teaching photographers how to make it rain.
- Jason Groupp – He loves NYC. He rocks WPPI. He made the bow-tie a thing again.
- Jen Bebb – A dreamer. An asker of "What Ifs"
- Jennifer Rozenbaum – Intimate. Daring. Feminine. Boudoir Teacher.
- Jeremy Cowart – Founder of Help-Portrait & Ok Do This. Humanitarian. All around awesome guy.
- Joe McNally – What hasn't this National Geographic photographer done? 50 countries, 2 bazillion assignments. Small light wizard.
- Kara Wahlgren – The author, ghostwriter and editor of many of the most viral wedding photography articles you share…shhh.
- Kirk Mastin – He made a little something called Mastin Labs. Buy it.
- Lena Hyde – Do you Design Aglow? Yeah, that's her.
- Melissa Niu – Framed Show. The most important photo show on youtube.
- Michael Zhang – The wizard of oz behind PetaPixel.
- Mimika Cooney – Have you watched MimikaTV lately?
- Neil van Niekerk – Neil goes on tangents. He's a blogging & education machine.
- Renee Robyn – Mad photo skillz. Black latex & leather. If you haven't seen her etherial work, check it.
- Ryan Brenizer – He's a noun, verb and adjective. Have you Brenizered lately?
- Sam Hurd – It's ****in Sam Hurd. Breakin lenses and taking names. He could turn aluminum foil, saran wrap and duct tape into a 4×5 camera. Then he'd probably use it to take pictures of the president.
- Spencer Boerup – Kickstarter project Mag Mod man. He also showed us how to make mad money in portraits sales with The Salesographer.
- Trevor Dayley – Teacher and writer for Fstoppers
- Von Wong – Fire. Fire. Fire. hehe
- Zack Arias – One Light, One Workshop, One BadAss Photographer
I am personally thankful for all these photographer do and how they share their wealth of knowledge.
Did I miss your favorite person? Tell me in the comments below who I missed and what influential thing they did to move your photo business forward!
———————-Update 2.1.14 —————–
So many people are wondering why their favorite photographer didn't make the cut. These are the people who are inspiring ME now or who have moved me in my career most recently. They are also people I see inspiring you lately!
Like I wonder where I'd be without David Hobby's strobist.com. Or who the industry would be without Zack Arias & Jason Groupp. I encourage you to write your list in the comments below.
Mike Allebach: Founded Brandsmash as a marketing resource for small business owners with his mantra "Your story changes everything." Communications & Marketing Director turned Business owner he hosts BrandsmashTV. Hailed by a Rock n Roll Bride as "the Original Tattooed Bride Photographer" Mike Allebach crafted one of the most distinct niches in photography. Mike's Brandsmash Stories & Wedding Photos have been featured in over 100 blogs, newspapers & magazines.
In 2014 he started BrandsmashTV and Brandsmash Workshops to teach small business owners social media, storytelling, branding & marketing. See him teach in person at Brandsmash's Marketing Workshop Philadelphia on January 26, at Inspire Photo Retreats in Massachusetts, February 12 or at the WPPI Expo in Las Vegas on March 6.
Sign up for Brandsmash Business Tips and a chance at a WPPI Conference Pass!
Posted in Photography Also tagged Anne Almasy, Carla Ten Eyck, Chris Becker, Craig Lamere, Dane Sanders, David A Williams, David Hobby, Gregory Heisler, Huy Nguyen, Jaleel King, Jamie Swanson, Jason Groupp, Jennifer Bebb, Jennifer Rosenbaum, Jeremy Cowart, Joe McNally, Kara Wahlgren, Kirk Mastin, Lena Hyde, Melissa Niu, Michael Zhang, Mimika Cooney, Neil van Niekerk, Renee Robyn, Ryan Brenizer, Sam Hurd, Trevor Dayley, Von Wong, Zack Arias 4 Comments


text:
Tim Cook, in a letter published in The Wall Street Journal:
Apple's antidiscrimination policy goes beyond the legal protections U.S. workers currently enjoy under federal law, most notably because we prohibit discrimination against Apple's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees. A bill now before the U.S. Senate would update those employment laws, at long last, to protect workers against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
We urge senators to support the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, and we challenge the House of Representatives to bring it to the floor for a vote.
It's hard to imagine for someone like me, from The Netherlands, but in the US, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people have, in most states, far fewer rights than straight, non-transgender people. The LGBT community in the US still has a long fight ahead of itself, and large companies like Apple publicly urging Congress to address the archaic position of the LGBT community can only be seen as a good thing.
Most technology companies support the LGBT community's fight for equality, and considering the importance of this industry, that's a blessing.
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
My response is that I don't believe in gay marriage. i don't believe in straight marriage.
The problem with all these view points is that we are trying to force them on others. Conservative Christians want the law to ban gay marriage. Liberal gays want to law to permit gay marriage. All sides seem to want a society to adopt their position as a single, true, correct position.
The fact of the matter is that none of these relationships should have anything to do with "greater society." Marriage between individuals should have NOTHING to do with government. If gays want to get married it has nothing to do with you. If you want to get married it has nothing to do with them.
The only correct position is to 'privatize' marriage. Let gay friendly churches marry gays, Let non-gay friendly churches marry straits. Let some churches marry both. Let non-religious people get married with a contract and a lawyer.
This is the only correct, non-coercive, position. I personally think people that think the government has a role in these matters to have somewhat authoritarian tendencies. These people aren't content with their own opinions, they are only content if everyone else is forced, by law, to follow them. That sort of world view, in my opinion, is despicable.
I apply the same standard to employment. Private business owners run a business how they want, it is their property. Nobody has a right to it, they have to reach an agreement with the employer to work for them. let gay friendly employers hire gays, if some anti-gay companies want to work against their best interests, let them. I'm a heavy person. I wouldn't want to work for an employer that hates fat people. I don't seek employment at a company that dislikes fat people. If you want to have a company run exactly the way you want it to run, rather than trying to pass laws to force companies to act against their will, start your own business. (the Government makes this difficult I might add).
The rational argument against what I'm saying is that society as a whole hates gay people, and gay people are disproportionately unemployed and poor. Well as I have indicated before this is simply not the case, the data shows quite the opposite. The market works when allowed to. Freedom works. People form relationships voluntarily without government. All sides can be quite content with their views, even when you think some are wrong. People just need to learn to live with the fact that some people are never going to like them, they are never going to have the same moral compass. Who cares? Don't associate with those people. I don't care which side you're on.


text:
Contact NowShot Blast Clean-up Machines with Hook and Monorail Tunnel Overhead Conveyor FTQ37 SeriesFTQ37 series hook shot blast clean-up machines, tunnel overhead conveyor shot blasting machines with hook, monorail FTQ37 series hook shot blast clean-up machines, tunnel overhead conveyor shot blasting machines with hook, monorail is composed of the impeller head, shots supply system, blasting...Read More
Contact NowStone Surface Through Shot Blasting Cleaning Peening Machines FTS SeriesFTS series Stone surface through Shot Blasting cleaning machines, shot peening machines This series is mainly used for cleaning the surface of steel plate and all kinds of small-sized steel. Shot blasting cleaning can help remove rust, dirt and oxide skin on the surface of the steel, etc.,...Read More
Contact NowSection Steel Tunnel Type Shot Blasting Cleaning Machines FTH SeriesFTH series section steel tunnel type shot blasting machines, Steel tunnel shot blasting machines Product features: 1. It is used to clean and strengthen the workpiece surface and can remove the dust and descale various kinds of steel products. 2. It is widely used and highly automatized,...Read More
Contact NowShot Blasting Cleaning Machines Mesh Belt Roller Conveyor for Metal Sheet and Plates FTW SeriesFTW series Mesh belt roller conveyor type shot blasting machines FTW series net belt through type shot blasting machine Net belt through type shot blasting machine is mainly used in automobile, aerospace, railway and machinery manufacturing industry, especially suitable for shot blasting the...Read More
Contact NowShot Blasting Cleaning Peening Machines Steel Plate Trough Type FTB SeriesFTB series Steel plate trough type shot blasting cleaning machines, shot peening machines This series is mainly used for cleaning the surface of steel plate and all kinds of small-sized steel. Shot blasting cleaning can help remove rust, dirt and oxide skin on the surface of the steel, etc.,...Read More
Contact NowDrum Shot Blasting Peening Machines with Metal Belt FTQ15GN/FTQ28GN SeriesFTQ15GN/FTQ28GN series drum shot blasting machines with metal belt, Metal belt shot peening machines FTQ15GN metal tumble belt type shot blasting machine This machine can be used to clean up castings, forgings and welding's, clean the surface and the oxide skin of the workpiece. It can also...Read More
Contact NowShot Blast Cleaning Machines Stepping Type Catenary for Steel Strip FTQ38 FTQ48 SeriesFTQ38 series Catenary shot blast cleaning machines/FTQ48 series Stepping type shot blasting machines, Steel strip shot blasting machines This equipment consists of the shot blasting machine, cleaning chamber, hanging conveyor, shots circulatory system and electric control system. The continuous...Read More
Contact NowSteel Wall Tunnel Shot Blasting Peening Machines GP SeriesGP series steel wall tunnel shot blasting machines, shot peening machines GP series outer wall of steel tube shot blasting machine can clean the out wall of steel pipes varying Φ16 ~ Φ 2800 mm in diameter. With strong cleaning capacity, the machine can effectively clean the surface of the steel...Read More
Contact NowCrawler Abrator Belt Shot Blasting Machines for Steel finishing Automatic FTQ32 series1. Direct-coupled impeller head with simple structure and long service life.
2. BE-type separator; Good separating effect, high productivity and positively improve the blades.
3. Bag-type dust collector; dust emission concentrations below national standards; improve the labor environment.
4. Wear-resisting rubber belts; reduce the collision and damage phenomenon of the workpieces; reduce the noise of the machine.
Read More
Contact NowShot Blasting Peening Machines Coil | Leaf Spring Enhanced FTTH SeriesWorkpiece diameter(mm):20-40
Workpiece length (mm):25-65
Max Handling capacity/hour: 5000
Impeller head(PC):2
Power per impeller head(kW):22Read More
Product Catalog
Quick Navigation
We're Here to Help


text:
If you don't know already, the Nebula Awards finalists were announced a little while ago. It's an interesting list, to say the least, and it has sparked some interesting responses across the blogosphere. But what do you all think about the list? Feel free to leave a comment.
Here are our brief responses:
Overall, I'm happy with the list, though there are certainly some anomalies there. A lot of repeat names, some works that I didn't think would make it to such a list anyway and a few things I saw coming from a mile away. As others here will mention, there are an extraordinary amount of women and a fair shake of POCs here — something I can't help appreciating because such things tend to drive certain people in this community up the wall.
The only glaring omission is in a category that nobody really cares about anyway: dramatic presentation. For all its criticism of vision over substance, I find it difficult to understand why the genre community has completely neglected to include Cloud Atlas on the list. If any film deserves genre's recognition, it's that one. Such is life…
I'm quite excited about this year's list. I think there is a wealth of strong work on the ballot. I look forward to seeing the winners, and I think that this year, no matter who wins, I'll probably be really happy with the outcome.
I would like to add that the fact that some people are being ridiculous and getting upset because non-white and non-male people are nominated makes me like this ballot even more.
I will be terse.
I am very pleased by the Novel ballot. 4 out of the 6 are by women. An
epic fantasy written by a woman, too.
Interestingly, five of the six novel nominees are Fantasy, too. Only
2312 sits there defending SF.
I think it is one of the stronger lists of the past few years, especially in the short fiction categories. I would like to see more diversity in the short story category though, as far as the publications represented. Five out of the six stories come from either Lightspeed or Clarkesworld.
I'm *really* happy about this list of nominees – over half are women!! Yay women in SF&F! That's about all I can reliably comment on though as I've only either read or watched 4 of the nominations.
Now it's your turn!


text:
A type of endorsement (usually done by celebrities) that tricks people into thinking a celebrity is not being paid to promote or endorse a product/company. A celebrity may talk down about a company or a company may even make a publicity stunt to pay the celebrity not to promote their product/company. You think there is no endorsement deal, but in reality, you're being tricked into seeing that product/company's name.
In August 2011, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, from MTV's Jersey Shore, was offered a significant sum of money by Abercrombie & Fitch Co. to NOT wear A&F clothes.
Reverse Psychology Endorsement
Reverse Psychology Endorsement
by MunroChubbers September 20, 2011
buy the domain for your cat blog


text:
Kristen Wiig will do battle with Jennifer Lawrence at the annual MTV Movie Awards after Bridesmaids and The Hunger Games scored eight nominations apiece.
The actresses will compete for Best Female Performance at the prizegiving, alongside Rooney Mara, Emma Stone and Emma Watson.
The Hunger Games and Bridesmaids are both up for Movie of the Year, but will face stiff competition from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, The Help and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1.
Both films are also nominated in the Best Cast category and for the Best Breakthrough Performance, for Bridesmaids' Melissa McCarthy and The Hunger Games' Liam Hemsworth.
Meanwhile, in the Best Male Performance category, Channing Tatum (The Vow), Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50), Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) and Ryan Gosling (Drive) will all compete for the award.
Film fans can start voting on Tuesday (01May12), and the winners will be announced at the ceremony in Los Angeles on 3 June (12).


text:
Mesa Community College
The mission of Mesa Community College is to promote excellence in teaching and learning preparing individuals for active citizenship in a diverse global society. The college is a community resource for transfer education career preparation developmental education economic development and continuous learning. Our ultimate purpose is to improve the quality of life in the community we serve.
School Information1833 W Southern Ave
Mesa, Arizona 85202
Calendar: Semester
Locale: City: Large
Open Admissions: Yes
Sector: Public, 2-year
Carnegie Basic: Associate's--Public Urban-serving Multicampus
Religious Affiliation: Not applicable
Accrediting Agency: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
Locale: City: Large
Open Admissions: Yes
Sector: Public, 2-year
Carnegie Basic: Associate's--Public Urban-serving Multicampus
Religious Affiliation: Not applicable
Accrediting Agency: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
Students & Faculty
Total Students
Male Students
Female Students
Total Intl Students
Intl Male Students
Intl Female Students
*All data is provided by the school or compiled from IPEDS as of May 2013
Total Tuition $8,838.00
Degrees & Programs
|Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science, General
|Adult Development and Aging
|African-American/Black Studies
|Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations
|Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production
|Apparel and Textile Manufacture
|Applied Horticulture/Horticultural Business Services, Other
|Architectural Drafting and Architectural CAD/CADD
|Art/Art Studies, General
|Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician
|Building/Home/Construction Inspection/Inspector
|Business Administration and Management, General
|Business/Commerce, General
|CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician
|Child Care and Support Services Management
|Child Development
|Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
|Community Health and Preventive Medicine
|Computer and Information Sciences, General
|Computer and Information Systems Security/Information Assurance
|Computer Graphics
|Computer Installation and Repair Technology/Technician
|Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification
|Computer Programming/Programmer, General
|Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst
|Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
|Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation
|Creative Writing
|Criminal Justice/Police Science
|Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
|Culinary Arts/Chef Training
|Dental Hygiene/Hygienist
|Design and Visual Communications, General
|Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General
|Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other
|Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
|Early Childhood Education and Teaching
|Education, Other
|Educational Leadership and Administration, General
|Electrical, Electronic and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician
|Electromechanical Technology/Electromechanical Engineering Technology
|Elementary Education and Teaching
|Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)
|Family and Community Services
|Fashion Merchandising
|Fashion/Apparel Design
|Fine/Studio Arts, General
|Fire Science/Fire-fighting
|Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, General
|Foodservice Systems Administration/Management
|Forensic Science and Technology
|Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, General
|General Studies
|Graphic Design
|Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other
|Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other
|Industrial Electronics Technology/Technician
|Interior Design
|International Business/Trade/Commerce
|Kinesiology and Exercise Science
|Landscaping and Groundskeeping
|Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other
|Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
|Library and Archives Assisting
|Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training
|Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, Other
|Machine Tool Technology/Machinist
|Manufacturing Engineering
|Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician
|Marketing/Marketing Management, General
|Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD
|Music Management
|Music Theory and Composition
|Natural Sciences
|Network and System Administration/Administrator
|Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide
|Organizational Behavior Studies
|Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
|Physical Sciences
|Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management
|Public Relations/Image Management
|Real Estate
|Recording Arts Technology/Technician
|Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursin
|Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
|Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General
|Small Business Administration/Management
|Social Work
|Teacher Assistant/Aide
|Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor
|Trade and Industrial Teacher Education
|Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant
|Visual and Performing Arts, General
|Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design
|Welding Technology/Welder


text:
UC Hastings' Volunteers in Tax Assistance (VITA) will once again be working with the United Way's "Earn It! Keep It! Save It!" program to provide free tax-filing assistance to low-income individuals and families.
Student volunteers are trained and then become IRS-certified tax preparers. Last year, student volunteers helped 134 tax filers recoup more than $100,000 in refunds. The project is one of the college's numerous longstanding pro bono programs.
This year's program is run by 3L Jackie Nicora, who is completing coursework in the UC Hastings tax law concentration. "I like doing taxes," Nicora said, a bit sheepishly. "It's a thrill when I interact with clients and am able to tell them they are getting a refund. For many people, it is a lot higher than they expect, and they are just so happy."
2L Corey Arnold, another student volunteer and project organizer, agreed. Some clients, he noted, are students, the working poor, or may have recently been homeless. "It's a wide range of individuals," Arnold said. "It's great to be able to take that tax filing load off their backs."
Many clients don't know they qualify for an Earned Income Tax Credit or an Education Credit. "I helped one gentleman who had been living on the street with his wife and two children. He had just found a place for them to live, and he got a pretty good refund. I ended up really connecting with him," Arnold said. "We saw each other on the street a week later, and he recognized me, and came up to me and thanked me again."
Partnering with the United Way
UC Hastings has been partnering with the United Way on the project for more than 15 years. Over the years, numerous alumni have helped as returning volunteers, including trusts and estate attorney Dan Vermillion '09, Jed Clark '10 of Cole-Frieman & Mallon, and family law attorney Lauren Birnbaum '13. Volunteer hours count toward students' pro bono goals, which are encouraged but not required.
Assistance is available one week night each week, from February to mid-April, and an occasional Saturday. Click here for the schedule of assistance at UC Hastings, and other sites in San Francisco. To qualify for help, individuals must earn $52,000 annually, or less.
Students interested in training as preparers should contact Jayme Jackson, email@example.com, no later than January 21.


text:
Meet local Columbia singles in your area by filling out our quick registration form. Once inside you will be area to search thousands of single Columbia members. Personal ads of singles in the Columbia area will be at your fingertips and with our new matchmaker service you will receive new matching members in your email inbox on a weekly basis. Find the best Columbia singles when joining our online dating service today!
ColumbiaJoin Now Free!
Columbia Girls | Columbia Men | Columbia Gay | Columbia Lesbians
More Columbia Links:
Columbia Dating | Columbia Personals | Columbia Speed Dating | Columbia Chat | Columbia Love
Senior Dating | Catholic Dating | Christian Dating | Muslim Dating
Black Singles | Asian Singles | Latin Dating
Matchmaker.com offers its members a great resource for Columbia singles looking for a short or long term relationship. We have compiled a hundreds of dating and online dating related articles to help give you timely and detailed advice. Some interesting topics include tips for single parents, Columbia singles, first date ideas, valentine gift ideas, love poems and great tips on cooking for a date. We are here to help the Columbia singles with free advice.


text:
SafeRacks is the premier provider of overhead garage storage. Our goal is to provide the highest quality ceiling racks designed to utilize wasted space in your garage. We pride ourselves on delivering the best product and supporting it with outstanding service.
The SafeRacks patented design is intended to be the strongest overhead storage solution available with a lifetime warranty to back it up.
Get Organized Today! Buy Online or Find Your Local Dealer
Watch our commercials and testimonials on what makes SafeRacks the best overhead garage storage solution for your home.
If you need garage storage solutions for your home, which allows you to optimize space and steer clear of clutter, check out SafeRacks. We offer a wide variety of robust overhead garage storage devices, storage racks and garage shelves. At SafeRacks, we will not only help you to make the most of your available space, but help you save time and money. One of our garage design consultants can help you determine the best size and location for your storage needs. Call us today for a free telephone consultation (877) 655-3443.
Whether you are looking for garage shelving options, need bike storage racks or metal storage shelves, the durability of the garage storage systems should be a determining factor. At SafeRacks we provide overhead storage shelves, which are made of high quality materials and are backed by safety standards recognized nationwide. Our garage shelving systems are preferred and used in many industries, including manufacturing, retail, engineering, and distribution services. By blending long term durability and industrial strength, the garage organization options of SafeRacks bring maximum value for the money. This is why our customers love to come back to us for all their needs related to garage organization systems.
At SafeRacks, we have extensive knowledge of top-notch storage racks, shelving solutions, bike racks for garage and much more. We have seen how valuable resources are spent on expanding useable space, mini storage warehouse rentals and sheds in the backyard. All along the problem could have easily been solved with garage overhead storage. Garage ceiling storage is often not considered to be a feasible solution by many garage organization companies as they love to mint money with cabinets and other new age storage options. SafeRacks is different. We can help you with a cheaper/better alternative in garage overhead storage. Don't invest money in costly cabinet construction or mini-storage options. By having properly planned garage storage racks or garage storage shelves, you can clear the clutter and stock your products, tools and toys in a convenient and easily accessible manner.
At a glance, SafeRacks can help you to get
In addition to all of these benefits, our unbeatable pricing gives you access to customized garage storage solutions without the installation time and cost of other organization systems. If you need a new garage storage system or want to better utilize and develop your existing garage storage situation, you can always contact us to get your questions answered.
Call us today (877) 655-3443
© Copyright 2018 EIG, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
In Acts 27 we find the story of the shipwreck of the apostle Paul. We are really--as we study the 27th and the first part of the 28th chapter--are embarking on a fantastic adventure. This has to be one of the most graphic writings in all of the Bible. It's just absolutely vivid. The Holy Spirit has gone into so much detail on this passage that historians and archeologists have studied it for its value as a comment on the techniques of ancient seamanship it is so very detailed. We learn so much about how those people conducted themselves upon the seas and particularly in times of crisis and stress. It has value just from that standpoint.
In addition to that it has value because it teaches us about the providence of God. We see whose really in control. As easily as Jesus Christ could calm the wind and the waves, so easily can God stir them up for His own ends. And when it pleases God to calm them to make Himself known, He does that; when it pleases Him to stir them up to make Himself known He does that.
But beyond the technical value of the passage and beyond the providential value of the passage as it reveals God, there is the value of the passage as it reveals the man Paul. The star of this particular drama is none other than Paul and he really shines. You know the true metal of a man comes forth in the fires of testing. You can tell what a man is in a crisis because the crisis will tell you what he is. And here is a man in a crisis. And I don't suppose in all of Paul's life there was ever a more prolonged, intense, unrelieved, unrelenting crisis than this one, which he endures day after day, week after week, month after month in this particular journey from Caesarea to Rome. He is really finding that every day his life hangs in the balance. First it is sickness, then it is storm, the winds and the waves, then it is sword-bearing soldiers, then it is a poisonous snake. It is one thing after another. He is imperiled from beginning of the journey to the end of the journey. Yet in all this we see the man calm, courageous, confident. He is ever and always the leader.
And as I began looking at the passage and try to see just exactly what facets of Paul's character become obvious I was drawn to the idea of his leadership. What a leader he was. You know we said before that a leader is not somebody who has the title. The leader is somebody who leads. Paul starts out this trip as a prisoner. He is the lowest of the low on the ship. He ends up by commanding everybody including the captain, sailing master, and the Roman centurion. By the time this thing is over he absolutely runs everything. He is a leader. And you'll find as we conclude our study in the days to come that the characteristics of leadership that make for true spiritual leadership are all here exemplified in the life of Paul. It becomes then a tremendous lesson in the qualities of a leader who operates on the basis of godly leadership in the midst of a tremendous crisis.
Now Luke's narrative is a classic presentation and I only wish that I understood navigation better than I do. I only wish that I understood nautical terminology better than I do but I spent some time this week trying to study up on it. The extent of my experience is a 13 foot sailboat at Balboa and one shipwreck. I've only had one but it taught me a little bit. In fact the boat that I was on was beached in a terrible Santa Anna wind condition at Avalon that had spent 18 years in the Bering Sea and wound up being smashed at Avalon, which is a rather strange paradox.
Nevertheless it was and some very very strange interesting things happened. A life was lost in this occasion and all kinds of tragic things happened, but I've only been that close to the shipwreck and it happened to be a ship with two engines to power it, not a sailing ship. But I had a little bit of a feeling of empathy with the apostle Paul, whom you will remember according to II Corinthians 11:25 was shipwrecked three times and a night and a day he was in the deep. So shipwreck was something he was used to but not real excited about and we'll see that as we go. And I understand that very well.
Now in order for you to have some hooks to hang your thoughts on and so you don't get lost then in just going through the detail, I want to give you five outline points and we'll follow those as we go, just dividing up the journey into five stages.
Stage one is the start. I didn't have to think to come up with that, verses 1 to 8. This is where the journey begins. Ever since the idea of going to Rome had been planted in Paul's mind by the Holy Spirit, the plan had been brewing there and he had never really ever lost confidence in the fulfillment of that plan. He had desired so much to go to Rome. He had been to Jerusalem. He had delivered the money that he had intended to give to the Jerusalem saints. He had expressed the love of the Gentile churches. He then had in the back of his mind the desire to go to Rome, but he was imprisoned instead. The angry Jewish population kept him under their thumbs for two years. At the end of that two-year period he finally appealed to Caesar and his case had to be transferred to Rome so he's on his way.
At last the journey for which he's waited so long begins. Stage one, verses 1 to 8. Let's begin with verse 1. "And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus band." Now you'll notice an interesting little footnote. "And when it was determined that we should sail." This is the return of the we that dropped out in Chapter 21 verse 18. The we indicates the inclusion of the writer Luke with the experience of Paul. Luke was with Paul up till 21:18, when the imprisonment started. Luke had probably been living in Caesarea or close by and now at the end of that time Luke joins Paul again. This means that Luke was on the way with Paul. "We should set sail to Italy." This is interesting. The indication also of verse 2 is that one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, also accompanied Paul.
So Paul's trip to Rome was in the company of two very dear friends, two Christian brothers, Luke and Aristarchus. The interesting thing about this is that it was just unheard of for a prisoner to be allowed to have companions on a prison route to be tried at Rome. It was just unheard of. And historians tell us there could have only been two possible ways in which these two could have been included: one, they would have had to take the position of slaves of Paul. They would have had to become slaves and Paul would have had to have taken them along as his slaves or Festus knowing the innocence of Paul and wanting to secure his good reputation with Rome, gave Paul the opportunity of this courteous gesture just in order to show good faith with Paul so that he would be well reported of when Paul arrived in Rome. Either one of those two reasons. But for whatever reason of the two Luke and Aristarchus accompany Paul.
And I think what is exciting about that is it is indication of true brotherly love. We've tried to say again and again that brotherly love is not just a question of feeling. It's a question of sacrifice. I mean let's face it. It's not like taking a cruise to Honolulu to go with a bunch of prisoners to Rome on one of those great big massive clumsy awkward Roman sailing vessels with the single mast and the great big square rig and to do so at the threat of life and limb. It wasn't really a pleasure cruise, a long and tedious journey that would take weeks and months, and yet they did it because of the love of the apostle. And you know there's a great statement to be made at that point, and that is that I believe a true godly leader not only has people following him, but he has people loving him.
I think the difference between real spiritual leadership and other kind of leadership may be the element of love. These men loved the apostle and they were willing to sacrifice their own life, their own involvement, whatever it was that they were interested in doing to spend time with him as his slaves, as his companion prisoners on a terrible treacherous trip to Rome. That's the measure of their love.
Now you notice it says certain other prisoners in verse 1 accompanied Paul. A group of prisoners apparently had been quartered there for some time, at least they had been collected at Caesarea, and they were going also to Rome. Maybe some to be tried, some to be sentenced, some to be executed and Paul was one of them. Now all of these prisoners were placed in the charge of Julius, a centurion of Augusts band. Julius is a common Roman name, having nothing really to do with oranges. I don't really know where that came from. But anyway, he was a leader of the Augustus band. A centurion was a commander of a hundred men. Now the August band is interesting. I told you a couple of weeks ago that Augustus was a title for the emperor. This was a special band of men, a special cohort of men assigned to the emperor. They were special envoys, they were like special couriers. Their name, they were called fruman terai. Fruman terai means pertaining to grain, and the reason they got this name pertaining to grain was because initially when the Roman government began to send its troops and garrison them and station them all over the imperial empire, they had to get food to their troops. And there were men assigned to the accompaniment of the food. They were men who were responsible for the transportation of the food safely. These were the men who were the special food envoys and they were called fruman terai, that is they pertained to the grain. But as time when on the special couriers also got into really becoming very sophisticated imperial agents. They were responsible for spying, they were responsible for transporting important political prisoners and personalities back and forth between Rome and its armies and its garrisons in its various provinces. And so they were set aside from regular troop duty and assigned to this very important area.
Julius was a commander commanding a hundred such men. Now how many of the hundred accompanied Paul on the ship we do not know, but with Julius and his men, the crew of the ship, Paul and the prisoners...there was a good group. Later on when they changed ships there was a total of 276 people. We don't know how many on this first vessel, but at least 276 on the second as it's indicated later on in the passage.
So here is the group. And just to make another footnote, the centurion, at this point has to be a sort of popular term in the eyes of the Christian world because this is another illustration of a good man. The Romans were not real good at picking governors, but that was because that was a whole lot of political stuff. That was a lot of personality, political byplay that brought about the picking of governors, but in terms of picking their leaders in their army they apparently really did a good job. You can go back, for example, to Mark 15, to Luke Chapter 7, to Acts 10, Acts 22, and Acts 24, and every time you run into centurions you find them to be men of integrity, just men. And so apparently the Romans had good methods for seeing who became a centurion, a leader of a hundred men.
So Paul and the rest of the prisoners are ready to leave Caesarea, and his great anticipation is to be fulfilled in heading for Rome. Verse 2, "And entering into a ship of Adramyttium." You'll find on your map, if you'll look at it a minute, the statement "Asia." There is Asia there and that refers to Asia Minor, which is in that area, a province of Rome. The very northern part of Asia, if you went straight up from the word Asia and made a left then went right over to the coast you would find Adramyttium. This was a port at which this particular ship was registered. It was a coastal vessel. It pretty much hugged the coastline and never really ventured out into the open sea apparently. And so this particular ship was on its way back to Adramyttium, and, of course, realizing that this would be partway only Julius, in a hurry, set about to get on the ship with all of his people and that's precisely what they did, entering into the ship they put to sea, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia. And it notes there that Aristarchus was along with them.
There was several kind of ships in those days. There were those that ventured into the open sea and there were those that were the port hoppers, that just kind of skidded along the coastline from one port to the next, not being of the sturdy stuff able to cope with the major shipping lanes across the open great sea or Mediterranean as we know it. And so they boarded this particular vessel to hop from port to port until finally they would run into a ship going to Rome. That was their intention. And their objective, of course, was ultimately to get to Rome. There were no passenger ships. They had to just grab whatever particular transport ships there were. There wasn't any first-class, second-class or deluxe or whatever. There was strictly one or another grain ship or ship transporting animals or some other kind of commodity.
Now notice verse 3. "And the next day we touched at Sidon." So they left Caesarea, sailed up the coast 70 miles to Sidon. "And Julius courteously treated Paul." Now this is interesting. You say, "Well why would he do that?" I mean in 70 miles did he get to know him? Maybe but most likely not. I mean Paul was a prisoner Julius was a commander. Prisoners and commanders don't usually have a lot of fellowship. Well what did he do here? "He courteously treated Paul, gave him liberty to go to his friends to refresh himself." Now if you know anything about the Romans and their rules regarding prisoners, if a Roman lost a prisoner he paid the prisoner's sentence himself. So Julius must have had a very good reason to allow Paul the liberty to go ashore to meet with his friends. There's really only one explanation in my mind, and that is that Festus, knowing the innocence of Paul and down deep in his heart wanting to do the best he could for Paul told Julius the man is an innocent man. The man is not going to do anything that is in any way going to jeopardize you or anyone else. Treat him courteously. And that's exactly what Julius did immediately when he had the first opportunity.
Now notice verse 3. He gave him liberty, incidentally the word courteously in the Greek is philanthropos, from which we get philanthropy. He gave him liberty to go to his friends to refresh himself. In Sidon apparently there was a church. The believers were called Friends. And that didn't come as any shock, I think. In reading that I thought back to John 15:15, where Jesus said, "No longer will I call you servants, but from now on I'll call you what? friends." And one of the terms that was used commonly for the designation of Christians was that of friends. And there was a church founded in Sidon, most likely founded in the repercussions of the persecution of Stephen. You remember back in the early part of the book of Acts that when the persecution broke out against Stephen the church was scattered. And the scattering of the church Judea and Samaria area was pretty well evangelized. And apparently a church was begun in the area of Sidon, even as there was in the area of Tyre. Paul had visited that church on his trip to Jerusalem. Now he visits Sidon on the way from.
And so he went there, but an interesting thing to note is this: you say, "What did he do when he went there or why did he go?" Well I'm sure he went for the fellowship of believers because he loved that. I'm sure he did some teaching. I'm sure he did some ministering because that's the nature of the man, I mean you couldn't restrain the man. He was too committed to those things. But it says here, "To refresh himself." The interesting thing about that is the word refresh is a medical term. It has to do with medical care and it indicates that he was sick. The apostle Paul at this particular point is a sick man. And it isn't any wonder with all that he has endured in the time intervening since his liberty, having been a prisoner for two years, and so in his illness he is probably not able to gain the diet, the rest, and the care that he needed on shipboard and Julius allows him the privilege to go and be with Christians who ministered to him as he equally ministers to them.
When that was completed we come to verse 4. "And when we had put to sea from there," and again they take off from that harbor, "We sailed under Cyprus because the winds were contrary," that is they sail under the shelter of Cyprus. Now the normal route, notice your map. If they were going from Sidon to Myra, or maybe even on further from Myra, not even intending to go there, maybe to even land at Crete or any trip to Rome. Normally they would not go way up and around Cyprus. They would cross the sea to perhaps even Rhodes there and then pursue on up through the Adria Sea toward Italy. But because the wind was a problem they had to coast it. And of course as I said this was probably a coasting vessel that wouldn't dare venture into the open sea with any kind of a wind problem at all. And when there was a problem with the wind, going along the coast was to the advantage because they could take advantage of land winds and as well the current of the Mediterranean runs that very route west. And so they took advantage of land, winds, as well as the current to run them up around the island of Cyprus and to the west.
The way the wind was blowing probably would have been very helpful to ships coming the opposite direction from say Rhodes or Crete down toward Sidon and that's the way Paul came when he came. He came straight across south of Crete, but on the return because of the winds was unable to do that.
Now this is summer. It is estimated that Festus took office in early July of A.D. 59 or 60. And that means if he took office in early July, by the time he went to Jerusalem, came back, heard Paul, had Agrippa come down, had that little thing with Agrippa and figured out what to do with Paul and waited for the proper ship it is probably mid August by now. And mid August would be the time that Paul would be departing. The winds were basically westerly winds in the summer, a blowing from the west and they could easily tact against the wind and make good progress toward Rome, but mid August was pretty borderline. If you wait too long you get into a treacherous season. From November 11th on to the end of March nobody crossed the Mediterranean. The winds were extremely strong and the sea was very rough and all shipping ceased from November 11th to the end of March. But from September 14 to November 11th that period between the summer sailing season and the winter closed season was know as the treacherous season. You just really didn't know. It was a gamble to sail in the open sea from September 14 till November 11th. So at this particular point as they near the end of August they are flirting with a borderline situation.
They then coasted along, it says in verse 5, they sailed the Sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia. You can see Cilicia there. Phamphylia is right next to it just to the left. They sailed right along that coastline areas that Paul knew very well. He had taken three missionary journeys to those areas and originally was born and raised in the area of Cilicia. And so along they went until they came to Myra, a city of Lycia. Myra was a harbor. Actually the city itself was two miles inland, but nevertheless that is known as the area of Myra. It is the southern most region of Asia Minor. It was a chief port for the Egyptian vessels.
Now let me make a note of this. Egypt, of course, was like the granary of the Roman Empire. Egypt raised a tremendous amount of grain and the great imperial network of food needs was served by the Egyptians. It was the granary of Italy and of the Roman Empire. In fact the imperial government had a fleet of grain ships that carried this grain to the various places where it was needed in the Roman Empire. And when the ships would come from Alexandria, for that is the harbor, the port of Egypt, when they would come from Alexandria, one of the stops they would make is Myra to dispense the grain that was needed in Asia Minor and other areas there. And, of course, they would stop there often times to harbor in difficult times until they could proceed further west to reach the land of Italy.
And so they arrived in this place and there happened to be one of these grain ships there in the harbor and they realized the opportunity to transfer ships and catch a ship that was going to Rome.
Verse 6, "And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy and put us on board." So the transfer is made and then now we get on the ship with the total of 276 people, most of which undoubtedly was Paul and his entourage, since the thing otherwise was full of grain there would be needed to run the ship and perhaps some other passengers. Now some historians have indicated that the time to get from Sidon to Myra is about nine days, tacking back and forth and back and forth against the coast. And Myra was a suitable harbor. It was a very popular harbor and they would be very glad to get there, and they would realize there the beginning of their journey to Rome.
Verse 7, "and when we had sailed slowly many days," they had westerly winds, that is winds blowing at them from the west against which they could tack and progress, "And scarce were come off Cnidus. The wind not permitting us we sailed under the lea of Crete off Salmone." Now look at your map. They left Myra and very slowly did they sail west the inside passage between Rhodes and the mainland there of Asia Minor and they proceeded to the very last point Cnidus. They would at that point have harbored in Cnidus. Now if you feel you're really bogged down in National Geographic trivia, hang on, the Lord has a purpose in all of this. They had passed Cnidus and, of course, immediately when they did this they left the shelter of land. The gentle land winds ceased. The protection ceased and the wind became extremely strong as the ventured immediately into the open sea. And they were unable to harbor at Cnidus. They could not direct the ship into the harbor and so they had to let it go. They couldn't handle the wind. What they did was they ran smack into the prevailing wind and they plunged right into the pressing plummeting headwaters and they couldn't handle it. And you'll notice the only thing they could do is let it go and try and get the ship down around the underside of Crete in order to be able to hide from the wind, to have some kind of a break from the wind that was blowing.
Now you know perhaps a different kind of ship could have handled it. They say that schooner or a sloop or something can take a 6 degree angle into a wind and ride it in, but great big thing like this, these Roman ships, and we have much information about them archeologically were clumsy. Great big heavy, in fact they could displace a tremendous amount of water, much tonnage, and of course, as grain ships they would be loaded down. They were clumsy, they had a single mast with a great big square sail on it and they preferred usually to sail under just that one enormous sail and run before the wind. They just really didn't handle themselves well when the wind was contrary. And so the wind wouldn't let them get into either of Cnidus two harbors, and they did have two there, and so they had to go down around the treacherous Cape Salmone and get on the back side of Crete and be sheltered from the wind. And once they got around it they would be secured from the nor'wester wind that was blowing.
Verse 8, "And passing it with difficulty," listen they didn't have an easy time getting around that Cape Salmone on the east coast tip of Crete. With difficulty means just that. It's a 140-mile long island, Crete is, and they just wanted to turn the edge and get into shelter. With great difficulty the finally made it and came to a place called Calouse Limionos. That's Greek for Fair Havens, near to which was the city of Lasea. Now you say, "That's a terrific place to be in a storm," Fair Havens. Well Fair Havens was really a hokey place. They weren't at all excited about being in Fair Havens, but at least they made it. And the first foreboding sign of a difficult trip had made itself known.
Now we come to stage two. Stage one is the start; stage two is the stay. Here they are in Fair Havens, taking on supplies and waiting for a change of winds and they're getting anxious to go to Rome. I mean they want to get to Rome, you see, before the season ends. They want to get to Rome before the winter comes. You see what happens is if they can't get to Rome then this fellow who is running the ship is going to have to take care of the whole crew for the winter and that means three to four months in harbor before they can get off again. In addition to that to be stuck in Fair Havens would be absolute disaster. It was open, it was exposed to the winds of the sea, it was not a commodious harbor as it says in verse 12. It wasn't a good place to spend the winter. Nothing was happening there. No fun and games in Fair Havens. Plus there was a sort of a desire to make a little money on the deal, if the ship had been owned indeed as some indicate by its captain. He would have wanted to get his supplies there as fast as possible and get his money and not have to spend the whole winter paying these people for idleness. And so they wanted to gamble and they figured we're going to try to make it. If we could get a change of wind we'll take off.
Now verse 9, "Now when much time was spent," now we don't know how much time, but plenty of time, maybe weeks went by, maybe more. Very likely at least a month. "And when sailing was now dangerous," now notice if they got there sometime at the end of August, and a month passed, the notation that Luke makes now is they're in the dangerous season. They're in the period of time when the sail is dangerous. Then he adds, "Because the fast was already passed." The fast is referenced to the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the Jewish fast. If you know anything about Jewish history you'll remember that Yom Kippur occurs on the 10th day of the 7th month of the Jewish calendar, which is the month of Tishrei. That falls into the Roman calendar at the end of September or the beginning of October. In A.D. 59 we know historically that Yom Kippur was on October 5th. If this is the year then A.D. 59 it is already after October 5th they are well into the dangerous season for trying to cross the open sea. Any attempt now would really be a gamble. So it says in verse 9, "Paul admonished them. And he said unto them, 'Sirs I perceive that this voyage will be with violence," literally, "And much damage, not only of the cargo and ship, but also of our lives." Paul gives a little practical advice. He's not a sailor but he's been on a lot of ships and he's been through three shipwrecks and he's not looking forward to a fourth. And he says guys this is not going to happen without some real violence and damage to the cargo, the ship, and our lives. He doesn't say they're going to die. He just says there's going to be violence and damage. This is a practical man.
And here we find another quality of a leader. Not only is a leader loved by people, but you see here another quality of a leader, a leader speaks what needs to be said. A leader is a practical man. Well, of course, since he wasn't anybody who was supposedly in control or knew anything about sailing, it says in verse 11, "Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship." Now those two words master and owner are very difficult to translate because they are obscure words. The best translation of the word master, in my mind, is sailing master or pilot. This is the man who was responsible for steering and navigating. And the word owner is not really the word for owner but probably should be translated captain. So that the thing would say: the pilot and the captain. Now in some cases the captain was an owner, if in fact if was a private vessel. But if it was one of the imperial fleet grain ships he would be simply the captain. The word is used only here is not the common word for owner, but has to do probably with him as the captain. And if he was the owner he probably was also the captain, but it seems best to see it as a Roman ship and these two would be the sailing master or the pilot and the captain.
And the centurion agrees with them. And you really can't blame the guy. I mean they were the experts, right? You can't blame the centurion for believing the navigator and the captain. And so he does. But the thing that really pushed them over was, and because verse 12, "The haven was not commodious to winter in." They didn't want to get stuck in a dump like Fair Havens, so they were willing to really risk things. "The greater part," verse 12 says, that is the majority of the crew, "advised to depart from there also." I mean at the worst we could at least reach Phonica, or Phoenix, not Phoenicia. Phoenicia is the ancient name of the coastline of Israel. That's not the translation that's best. It should be Phonica or Phoenix, which was a port 40 miles down Crete. 40 miles further along the island was the port of Phoenix.
So he said, "Well if we can't get to Rome, maybe we can get to Phoenix and that would be good to winter there, which is a haven of Crete," and that is true. Historians tell us that anciently the only place in the winter that was a comfortable place to stay was on Crete. The south coast of Crete was this place called Phoenix and it lies toward the southwest and northwest giving us geographical exposure. It was on the end. And so they stayed, but they didn't stay long. They decided to depart and that brings us to stage three of our outline, the storm.
And this is most interesting. All of a sudden that wind that had made such a problem for them, stopped. And you know what happened? Some lovely little south winds began to blow. How nice. South winds will just carry us right on up there. Terrific. Verse 13, "When the south wind blew softly," that sounds good, "Supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing from there they sailed close by Crete." Well the south wind is nice and we'll at least stay along the edge of Crete and if we don't get all the way to Rome at least we can hang in there at Phoenix.
Then you have one of the biggest words in this whole story, verse 14, "But," got to watch those gentle south winds. "Not long after there rose against it a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon." That was the sailors' term for a nor'easter. It comes from two words, one Greek, one Latin. The Greek word is Euros and it means an east wind. The Latin word is aquillo and it means a north wind. This is a northeast wind that came blowing out of the northeast. It would come down from Asia, just blowing down and it was a severe wind. They gave it the name Euroclydon because it was so fierce and it was one of the greatest feared winds of all winds. It was a wind of hurricane or typhoon proportions. They were in a hurricane. They were in that little thing, it was like a pod floating on the ocean bobbing up and down and being pummeled and beaten by the northeast wind. This was a typhoon. This was a hurricane with all of the concurrent airflow that comes together and swirls the clouds and swirls the sea, this is what they were in the midst of.
And you all have seen on television hurricane somebody, hurricane Bertha or Edna or Agnes or something and you know what it's like. That exactly what this little wooden thing got trapped in. And the little gentle south wind wafted them on was replaced by a threatening treacherous deadly nor'easter. And you know there was a great fear among all those who sailed the Mediterranean and the fear was of Euroclydon sent ships to the graveyard known as the Greater Certies. Look at your map and you'll see the note Greater Certies. The Greater Certies archeologists have studies and dug up there many things for many years was the graveyard of ships. Whenever a great nor'easter would come of hurricane or typhoon dimensions it would blast ships into the Greater Serties and it would reef them there and shatter them and smash them and lives would be lost there on the coast of North Africa. And so they were afraid. They had two options: if the hurricane didn't dump them into the sea and capsize the ship, then the hurricane would drive them into the graveyard of ships known as the Greater Certies.
Well verse 15 tells us what happened. "When the ship was caught, and couldn't bear up into the wind, we let her drive." In other words it didn't capsize her but it began to drive her to the sea. It began to drive her south in the power of that wind blowing from the northeast. It began to drive south and west and they it go. 23 miles from Fair Havens, where they had started, was a small little island called Cauda. It's mentioned there as Clauda. Some call it Clauda; some call it Cauda. Today it's known by the Italians as Gozzo, G-o-z-z-o, in case you ever have occasion to go there you'll know what happened there. It's also called Gauvdo. But apparently on the way down they tried with great effort to get behind this little island and get some protection and they succeeded. It says in verse 16, "And running under the lee of a certain island, which is called Cauda, we had much work to secure the boat. They ran back under this island as a protection against a tremendous treachery of this wind.
Then they did three things. The first thing they did was to secure the boat. Every sailing vessel had a dingy and a dingy doesn't have to be super small, but it was a small enough boat so that when you harbored a boat you could get in it and get to shore. It was a very important thing to have. It was also a rescue boat. In any case, in case that the larger ship would break up this was a lifeboat. It was very important to hang on to that thing. In sailing normally the dingy was attached to the stern of the boat by a rope and just pulled along. But immediately upon any stormy weather they would have to get that thing inside or it would be swamped with water and it would drag and eventually it would sever the rope and it would be lost. And so with great difficulty they first thing they did was get the swamp dingy into the main ship. They probably swung the yardarm out and use it as a hoist and they all worked hard, but they got it in.
The second thing they did, and this is something you may never have heard of, they frapped the ship. You say, "What does that mean?" Well I didn't know what it meant either until I studied it and now I know what frapping the ship means and I'll tell you what it means. Verse 17 says, When they had hoisted it," hoisted the dingy in, "They used fraps under girding," or frapping, "the ship." Now you know in the days that we're talking about they build ships without the use of bolts. In other words when the planks ran along the side they couldn't run large girders and then bolt the planks to the girders because they didn't have any bolts. And the only way they could rally secure it they used pitch; they would use anything they could. I was reading recently a tremendously interesting article in National Geographic about the Phoenician sailing boats and how they used to cover them with certain kinds of things that would seal them. Well that's fine until you get into a hurricane. When you get into a hurricane and you're in a single masted vessel there is no distribution of stress. That is in a multi-sailed vessel the stress is distributed all over the entire hull. In a single masted situation the stress is directed at one area and it begins to split the ship and it will literally splitter the entire hull unless something is done. So there were cables that were wrapped around these hulls and when stress came they would wench these cables tight. Just like wrapping the ship up with rope in order to keep it secure, and so they diligently set about to frap the ship or under gird the ship.
The third thing they did, "fearing lest they should fall into the quicksand." Now you say, "Wait a minute, quicksand in the middle of the Mediterranean?" Right, that's another one of those terrific translations. The Greek word is certies. They were afraid of winding up on the Certies. That's the point I told you about on the map. Here's it's the form certean, that ending, but the same word. And it probably means the reef, the shoal, the sandbar. It can have a reference to the sandy beach where it could be dumped and then smashed. And they had a fear of this. So what were they going to do? It says, "They struck sail," in the King James. What it literally says in the Greek is they lowered the gear. I think what it means is they dropped the mainsail. Well whatever they did it worked. And of course it really worked because God was in control. And if you want to know something amazing, do you see on the left side of your map that little deal Melita? That's also the same as Malta today. Isn't it interesting that with the sail down, with the storm swirling about them everywhere, and the inability to see the stars for the clouds, they couldn't see anything day or night, which means they couldn't what, they couldn't navigate, they sailed on a direct course to the harbor of Malta. Now you look at that little dot there and you figure out who was steering that ship. Amazing. This is all in the plan of God.
Well they're in real trouble and they're afraid and they need something, and so here comes Paul and this is his time. God says, "All right my man, it's your time. Let's establish whose who and then we've got a foundation upon which to present the gospel" Isn't it amazing when God wants to get His message across what He'll do. Verse 18, "And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest," typhoon, a hurricane, and exceedingly means just that. "And the next day they lightened the ship." I think this is really kind of a clever thing. "The next day they lightened the ship." Well that means they jettisoned the cargo. Some of it, not all of it, some of it, they would keep some of it for ballast, some of it for their own food, and hopefully some of it to get to Rome so it wouldn't lose all of it. So I like this, "They lightened the ship. The third day we cast out with our own hand the baggage of the ship." You notice a little bit of indifference in verse 18, which is gone in verse 19? They did it in verse 18, but we did it verse 19. I mean it got a little desperate so we were throwing stuff too. Well here they are three days off of Fair Havens and they've jettisoned their cargo and their baggage.
And verse 20 says, "When neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was taken away." Totally lost hope. Now God says, "That's exactly what I want. No one has any resource, no one has any hope, no one can turn to anybody or anything. You are hopeless. Now I will announce My presence." Beautiful! One of the principles that God has used over and over again in the word is that God comes in man's absolute hopelessness, right? and announces who He is. He had just the man. He had his man, Paul, who was probably just going along with it all saying, "Well Lord when is the time? It's going to be soon, I imagine."
Verse 21, "After being long without food," and incidentally they were long without food. You say why? Have you ever been seasick? Listen I went out on a ship one time. We got into a storm and the guy who owned the ship was trying to sell it. He would have given it away. He didn't ever want to go out again. It was terrible seasickness. And, of course, in addition to that you probably had pretty salty food by this time with the washing over of the sea and on top of that the fact that they had jettisoned the cargo may have limited the supply, but mostly they were too busy to eat. By the time it was over 14 days they'd gone without eating. 14 days they had fought that storm without any food. "And so without food Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said, 'Sirs,'" I love this. You know Paul is human. He can't resist the I told you so. "Sirs you should have harkened unto me and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss." I told you. Now why did he say that? He said that to established the fact that this man knew what he was talking about. You know they may have said, "Yeah, that guy did say that." And this is the beginning of the establishment of the credibility of Paul as God's man.
Now watch. "And not I exhort you, be of good cheer." All right, sure. You know while you're hanging onto the mast like this, the thing is teetering back and forth, the waves are smashing the top of the boat, and you can't see anything. Cheer up fellows, but there's a reason, "For there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, only the ship." Terrific! Right. Then we walk on the water. But that's what he said. Why would they believe him? Maybe the might believe him. See how God had set up his credibility because he was right once huh? I mean the foundation was there.
And look at this: "For there stood by me this night an angel of God." I love this. "Whose I am and," what, "whom I serve." Don't you love that? That guy knew who he belonged to. "There stood by me an angel of God whose I am and whom I serve." There's the first commercial for the Lord. God gets dragged into the situation. You see what he wants to do? God is introducing Himself to these people. He had to get them in a position to accept the introduction. And now they're looking for a God, aren't they? 'Cause only a God can help them. And angel of God whose I am and whom I serve appeared to me to me and said, "Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee." Paul you're going to make it to Caesar and everybody with you is going to make it. "Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. However, we must be cast upon a certain island."
Well you know that was like a needle in a haystack, hitting an island. I mean, as I say, look at the whole thing. There's no island there but Malta. He says, "Don't fear men, an angel came to me from God whose I am and whom I serve." See he wants them to know that they can go to him to know about God. He establishes himself as the connection to God and then he says, "God's angel said to me you're going to make it, Paul, and everybody with you is going to make it. The ship's going to go, the cargo is going to go, but everybody's going to make it."
Now do you see what that is? God is setting Himself up to establish His credibility. Now you know what happens? One of two things: that comes true or it doesn't come true. If it doesn't come true it wasn't God. If it does come true, what, it was God. Do you realize that the obscurity of landing on an island, losing the ship, losing the cargo, and everybody's life being saved, can you chart the mathematical probability of that? Staggering! In the millions that all of those things would come to pass. You see God is setting up the display of Himself. That's the promise. But what happened? Well that's for next week.
But I'll close with one thought. You know something, I don't think that the ungodly of this world know how fortunate they are to have us righteous people around. Do you know that? I think of that every time I get on an airplane. I think these fortunate people. Do they realize that the Lord is not finished with me yet and they're completely secure? I mean this plane has got to land because I'm on it. I don't think they understand that. They would treat me better if they did.
Well listen you say, "Is this a principle?" Look at it in verse 24. "God has given thee all them that sail with thee." Did you know that God's people in the midst of an ungodly community actually protect that community? That's right. You say, "Where do you get that John?" That's very clear in many passages in Scripture, but just to point out a couple of them let me close with this and I'll close hastily. But in Genesis Chapter 18, just an illusion to that. Don't look it up. You remember that the prayer came in Chapter 18 about Sodom and Gomorrah? God said, "I'm going to wipe out Sodom and Gomorrah." And Abraham said, "Lord, if there are 50 righteous will you spare the whole city? Yes. For the sake of the righteous I'll spare everybody." And he goes on and on and on and he finds that there weren't give and there weren't any, etc., etc., etc. so He couldn't spare it. But the point was God said, "For the sake of fifty righteous; for the sake of five righteous I'll spare the whole city." Do you see the principle?
Listen to this one: later on in the book of Genesis in Chapter 30 tremendous statement, verse 27, "And Laban said, 'I pray thee if I have found favor in thine eyes tarry.'" Listen, stay with me Laban says to Jacob, "For I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me because of you." Do you see that? It's the same principle. And again in the book of Genesis in Chapter 39 you have this indication a couple of times in the case of Joseph in Egypt. It says in 39:5, "It came to pass from the time he had made him overseer in his house," that is Potiphar and Pharaoh as well later, "And over all that he had that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph. And the blessing of the Lord was on everybody in the house and everybody in the field.
Verse 23 says essentially the very same thing. "Even the keeper of the prison was blessed because of Joseph." Listen it's a principle. The world doesn't know how fortunate it is to have the presence of godly people in it. These people in this ship didn't know how fortunate they were to have that apostle there. Well what's going to happen? That's for next time. You come and find out and it's exciting. Let's pray.
Father we thank you for the care You have exhibited in the life of Paul, for the care that we see in our own lives. We thank You for the fact that because of Your sovereignty, because of Your providence, because of Your grace You meet our needs. God, we thank you for the example of this man's life. We ask that you would bless these words and these thoughts to our hearts. Teach us what the Spirit would have us learn from our sharing together this day. We pray in Christ's name. Amen.
This article is also available and sold as a booklet.
This sermon series includes the following messages:
Please contact the publisher to obtain copies of this resource.Publisher Information


text:
Ringside Seats
Ali (Columbia Pictures). The critics holler for Michael Mann's biopic, a film with "overwhelming love of its subject" that will "turn audiences into exuberant, thrilled fight crowds" (Elvis Mitchell, the New York Times). There's near unanimous praise for Will Smith's performance, which is, as the Village Voice's J. Hoberman puts it, a "contradictory mix of calculation and innocence, clowning and gravitas, sweetness and steel." The Chicago Sun-Times' Roger Ebert holds out, writing that the "long, flat" film "feels like an unfinished rough cut that might play better after editing." (Click here to visit the movie's Web site.)—B.C.
Monster's Ball (Lions Gate Films). Phenomenal notices for this provocative tale of racism and redemption in backwoods Georgia. Billy Bob Thornton plays a racist corrections officer who begins a relationship with Halle Berry, the widow of a man he helped execute. The film "proves that Halle Berry had a spectacular performance inside her waiting to be unleashed and that Billy Bob Thornton still had a third one left in his stunning 2001 stockpile" (Mike Clark, USA Today). The film is surprising, compelling, and real. "This is one of those rare movies in which even people glimpsed only for a moment or two seem to have lives that ramify beyond the screen, as if the story were being witnessed rather than dramatized" (A.O. Scott, the New York Times). (Click here to find out about Thornton's recent country music album Private Radio, and here for the Slate"Movie Club" discussion in which Roger Ebert names Monster's Ball the top film of the year.)— B.W.
Black Hawk Down (Columbia Pictures). Critics split over this based-on-a-true-story film about a battle between U.S. soldiers and Somalis. All agree that "very little emotional capital is invested in the characters" by director Ridley Scott (J. Hoberman, the Village Voice). Some think this "absence of movie frippery" (Kenneth Turan, the Los Angeles Times) is a virtue that emphasizes the film's intense portrayal of war: "If ever there were a story in which logistics should dominate, this is it," says USA Today's Mike Clark. Turan says the movie is "so thoroughly convincing it's frequently difficult to believe it is a staged re-creation." Other critics, however, think the lack of context turns the film into "incoherent militaristic propaganda" (Elvis Mitchell, the New York Times) with a white soldier versus black Somali story that is "definitely, if perhaps inadvertently, racist" (John Anderson, Newsday). (Click here to read "Blackhawk Down," the Philadelphia Inquirer series by Mark Bowden which was the basis for the movie.)—B.M.L.
The Shipping News (Miramax). Two main issues ruin this flick by director Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules): 1) his interpretation of E. Annie Proulx's Pulitzer-winning novel; and 2) his star, Kevin Spacey. As Quoyle, a depressed single father who returns to his family's ancestral home in Newfoundland, Spacey "plays against" his "crackling impudence" and "succeeds too well" as a "hopeless schlemiel" (Michael Wilmington, the Chicago Tribune). And despite Proulx's "eccentric" poetics, Hallström's film feels so "standard," it's "hard to believe the book won so much as a prize in a Cracker Jack box" (Kenneth Turan, the Los Angeles Times). The "limp and sodden" downer's only ray of light (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly)? A "shrewd, gloriously trampy" performance by Cate Blanchett as Quoyle's wife (Turan). (Click here for the official Web site.)— A.B.
Gosford Park(USA Films). Terrific reviews for this Robert Altman-directed "virtuoso ensemble piece" (Stephen Holden, the New York Times) with a huge cast of mostly British luminaries, including Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Michael Gambon. A comedic murder mystery set at a posh British country house, this film is "concerned with the complex, symbiotic relationship between those upstairs and those below" (Kenneth Turan, the Los Angeles Times). The film is full of "ceaseless delights" (Mike Clark, USA Today): The top-drawer cast, the incisive script, and Altman's keen direction all get raves. "The filmmaker, who turns 77 in February, should simply torch his AARP card" (Clark). (Click here for a lengthy, gushing appraisal of Altman's career.)—B.W.
Kate & Leopold (Miramax). Conflicted takes on this "preposterous time-travel romance" (Roger Ebert, the Chicago Sun-Times), which pits "the nose-scrunching, arm-flapping mass of self-adoring yuppie neuroses known as Meg Ryan" (Dennis Lim, the Village Voice) against Hugh Jackman as a chivalrous English lord. The plot: A female exec's inventor ex discovers a portal to 1876 by jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge, only to return for her with a proverbial white knight. Some color Jackman the epitome of "romance novel dreaminess," calling the film's "slender charm" a byproduct of this fantasy (Stephen Holden, the New York Times). Others are troubled that what this "successful career woman really wants is courtly love with a guy from a time when women couldn't vote and were virtually caged by kids and/or corsets" (John Anderson, Newsday). (Click here to visit the official Web site.)— A.B.
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (Paramount Pictures). This computer-animated Nickelodeon production gets OK reviews. Jimmy Neutron is a gizmo-inventing kid who leads his classmates in an effort to retrieve their alien-abducted parents. The film is "full of whirring gizmos, ricocheting projectiles and giddy hyperactivity" (A.O. Scott, the New York Times), and its "colorful visual style has the exaggerated look of '50s cartoons and puppetry given a hard CGI edge" (Todd McCarthy, Variety). Adults beware: Critics warn "it doesn't have the little in-jokes that make Shrek and Monsters, Inc. fun for grown-ups" (Roger Ebert, the Chicago Sun-Times). (Click here for Jimmy Neutron's whiz-bang official site.)—B.W.
Joe Somebody (20th Century Fox). Unenthusiastic reviews for this Tim Allen comedy. Allen plays Joe, a suburban drone who is bullied by a colleague. With the help of a scene-stealing mall martial arts instructor (Jim Belushi), he trains to bulk up, but in the process realizes the old Joe wasn't so bad after all. "Dual redemption is the point of a comedy that's likable but not distinctive enough to survive its touchy-feely limitations" (Mike Clark, USA Today). Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times thinks "Joe Somebody plays like an after-school special, with grownups cast in the kids' roles." To the more positive critics, "It's not great; it's also not idiotic" (Stephen Hunter, the Washington Post). (Click here for a tribute site dedicated to Jim Belushi's late, great brother John.)—B.W.
The War Against Cliché: Essays and Reviews 1971-2000, by Martin Amis (Talk/Miramax). "When I praise," writes this Brit lit-wit, "I am usually quoting the opposed qualities of freshness, energy and reverberation of voice." Most critics concur. Amis' journalism is "narrowly focused and uncannily vivid"; and even though his subject matter includes chess and politics, this is really "a portrait of the artist as a reader of great books" (Jenny Turner, the New York Times). In fact, here, critic Amis is "buzzing" so completely "he doesn't just review books, he re-writes them" (Geoff Dyer, the Guardian). Of course, some note, the collection's length "makes the temptation to skip irresistible" (Hilton Kramer, the Wall Street Journal). But how can "Summary Judgment" not respect a rogue who can "summarize a book or writer's achievement with epigrammatical exactitude?" (Michael Dirda, the Washington Post). (Listen to a BBC Radio 4 piece featuring Amis' thoughts on the Great American Novel.)— A.B.


text:
Nibley Fellowship applications due in June
The Maxwell Institute invites LDS graduate students to apply for one of three Nibley Fellowship awards. Applications need to be submitted between June 1 and June 30 in order to be eligible. Details of the available awards and the application process for each can be found here.Read More